McHenry County Sheriff's dept. sponsors bone marrow drive

WOODSTOCK – The McHenry County Sheriff's Office is hoping to build excitement for a bone marrow registry drive that it will host next week.

From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 1-2, residents are encouraged to stop by the Sheriff's Office Training Division to join the bone marrow registry.

It takes about 10 minutes to fill out the registration form that includes health history. The process includes a cheek swab. Participants will then be added to a Be The Match bone marrow registry.

Be The Match, is a national registry that matches potential donors with those in need of a life-saving bone marrow transplant. Most often these are people who suffer from blood cancers, such a leukemia.

The Sheriff's Office was inspired to host a drive after reading about 7-year-old Tyler Seddon, a Rhode Island boy with leukemia. For his birthday, Seddon asked for cards from law enforcement members and firefighters.

His birthday wish went viral, and according to news reports, hundreds of police and first responders traveled to Rhode Island for a parade in his honor, and thousands more sent cards and well wishes.

McHenry County Sheriff's deputies sent young Sodden a scrapbook.

"The sheriff flat out said, 'This is great. What do we next?' "Deputy Aimee Knop said. "… This is about the bigger picture. The idea came from [Sodden], but it would be absolutely amazing to help one person because of this drive."

For information or to make arrangements, contact Knop at 815-334-4735 or Deputy Tim Creighton 815-334-2068. The event also was organized by Rock River Valley Blood Center.